Carburetor



'Patented Nev. 2, 192e UNITED lSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

"JosEPH J. SULLIVAN, OE NEW YORK, N. Y., AssIeNoR, BY MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, rro BRUNSWICK FUEL DEVICE CORPORATION, A CORPORATION or' NEW YORK.

CARBURETOR.

Application led `Tune 18, 1923. Serial No. 646,277.

vThis invention consists in a carburetor'for -motor driven vehicles jand it comprises a -Y tank or reservoir for the liquid-fuel, such -as hydrocarbons, vvhich is provided With means for passing air-through the body of the liquid-fuel to impregnate the air with the same, and after leading saidjair in its impregrating travel over a comparatively long path or route through said liquid-fuel l0 to insure its thorough impregnation, to then draW o the mixture and convey it to the induction manifold of the engine, as an explosive mixture, so that it may be exploded therein in the usual vWay to drive the en- 115 gine. The important advantages of this novel arrangement and construction are thatv a highly efficient explosive mixture is obtained; a perfect combustion is secured with but a small trace of carbon; the engine is kept from attaining a high heat, and greater mileage can be made on a given amount of liquid-fuel than With the apparatus theretofore in use, at the same timethe ordinary carburetor is dispensed with; The construction here-With shown, l have tried with much success so that l prefer to use a multiplicity ofairinduction tubes having relatively fine or minute bores in orderl to secure a Well distributed action of the air through the liquidsfuel .at-numerous points. 'lhere are other advantages derived from my improvements, which willl Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same with the cover ofthe tank -removed and parts of the sides of the tank and of its bottom broken away.-

Fig. 3 is an elevation, reduced in size, of a motor driven vehicle or automobile embodying my invention.

Referring to thedrawings, 1 is a tank or reservoir for holding liquid-fuel, such as gasoline, indicated at 2. The tank is pravided- With a tight fitting cover 3,' having an air-inlet 4, for admittingairy 4to an-air compartment?, in the top of the tank. This linlet has an adjustable device 5, for regulating the size of the opening in order lto vary the volume of airthus introduced.

In the upper part of the tank is xed a horizontal partition 6, which is both air and liquid tight, and this provides the air-chamber 7, into. Which the air-inlet 4, leads. A set of vertically arranged air-induction tubes 8, 8, is mounted through the partition 6, in fixed positions andin a gas and liquidv tight manner, and being open at both ends, the tubes keep the air-compartment 7, in constant and free communication with 10W points in the tank, preferably but a slight Idistance from the bottom-thereof, in order that the air passing down through the tubes 4may be introduced at practically the lowest points-in the bodyv of the liquid-fuel 2, to give the bubblesof air a long path in their passage to the surface of the liquid-fuel, such bubbles being indicated at 9, 9. Each air tube'has a very small interior diameter, and l have found from practice that tubes yhaving interior diameter of ,1g and also 1315 of an inch, cause the introduced air to be quickly and thoroughly impregnated With the liquid-fuel, into Which said tubes de liver the air. linthe present construction li show a multiplicity of the -fine tubes and have arranged them in groups disposed about the central vertical-axis of the tank, With a great number of the tubes'in each group. By this arrangement li obtain action of the inducted air in numerous finely dividedstreams upon the liquid-fuel With which said air is to be impregnated to form the fuel mixturel vapor before leaving the tank. This multiple action of thegiine tubes results in the production of a rich carburetted air Which accumulates above the level of the liquid-fuel from Where it is rapidly led od by the mixture conveying pipe 10, which taps the ta-nk through the partition 6, and extends to the induction-manifold 11, of the engine 12, as indicated in the drawings. The air passes down through each tube,` and issues from the lowerend of the tube into the liquid-fuel and passes thence up through thebody of the liquid-fuel into the space above the level of the same. In

yorder to prolong the path traveled by the air-bubbles through the body of the liquidfuel and compel it to take an indirect course through the same, I provide a'series of baffle devices or plates 13, 14, which are placed horizontally across the interior of the tank, with the tubes 8, 8, passing through each of them, as shown in the drawings. The lower baille 13, near its opposite ends is provided with a number of orifices 15, 16, respectively, which are scattered around the tubes 8, while the central zone or section 17, of the plate is imperforate.r The baffle 14, has the areas at its opposite ends 18 and 19, respectively, inipert'orate, while the central aera is perforated with numerous orifices 20, 20. This arrangement compels the airbubbles issuing from the lower ends of some of the tubes 8, to pass laterally and upwardly through the holes 15 and 16, in plate 13, while the air from others of the tubes passes diagonally upwardly through said holes. The impregnated air passes thence diagonally up through the central group of holes 20, in pla-te 14C, and then continues its course directly upward to the space 21, above the level of the liquid-fuel.

In order to exclude dirt and foreign matter from the upper ends of the air tubes 8, I` provide the air-inlet 4, with a dirt screen 22, and, if preferred, the lower ends of the tubes may be covered with strainers. By having the upper ends of the tubes 8, project slightly above the sur-face of the partition 6, as shown, any foreign matter upon said surface will be prevented from falling into the tubes.

As the impregnated air, or hydrocarbon vapor arising from the liquid-fuel is very rich I dilute it before it is introduced to the induction-manifold of the engine, :.by mea-ns of an'air-intake 24, having a spring actuated valve 25, whichstands normally 45 open and is provided with an operating connection 26, which runs to a convenient point near the seat of the operator of the motor.

In the operation of the apparatus, when the engine 12, is started its suction tends to exhaust the mixture from above the liquidfuel in space 21, and this rarification or tendency to create a vacuum therein, draws the air withgreat ,force from the air-compartlment 7 through the tubes 8, and thence up through the body of the liquid-fuel in the tank, to replenish the mixture in said space as it is withdrawn by the engine. The mixture conveying pipe 10, conducts the mixture directly to the manifold 11, and it then passes to the engine where it is exploded in the usual way. After the engine is thus started,I throttle down the air-intake valve 25, by hand operation from time to time, as the quantity of liquid-fuel lessens and the carbureted air is accordingly less rich andv ineoaaee therefore requires less dilution by the air-in take. At any time during the running of the engine, the air-intake may be. adjusted to compensate tor the lean character of the mixture.

In order to check the flame from a baclv fire from the engine, I provide. the vapor conveying pipe 10,A with a. gauze screen 27, which prevents any flame from passing bc-` yond said point.

The suction produced from the. operation of the engine, is of such force that in operation oit my apparatus I have observed that the level of the liquid-fuel in the tubes 8, 8, is lowered beyond that of the liquid-fuel in the tank, to a pronounced degree. The tank is provided with the usual filling tube 28, having a removable screw-cap 29. Vhen in operation on a traveling vehicle, the liquidfuel or gasoline in the tank is caused to swish about under the motion and shifting of the vehicle, but the baille plates 13, and 14 act to check any pronounced movement of the liquid in this respect. It will be observed that my improved apparatus may be used in a stationary plant, though I have here illustrated it as mounted on the chassis of an automobile. The term vehicle as herein used ,is intended to cover any character of 'automotive apparatus, such as motor 111 and are supported at at least two points thereby. This firmly unites the delicate tubes and keeps them from whipping, while at the same time the tubes serve as a multiplicity of strut or tie elements to rigidity the partitions and keep them from buckling up and down. s i

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a carburetor for an internal combustion engine, a closed liquid-fuel tank having considerable depth, a horizontal baille partitidn provided with perforations and arranged so as to be constantly submerged by the liquid in the tank, a horizontal partition in the upper part of said tank closing y the same near the top thereof above the normal level of the liquid-fuel in the tank, an air-compartment being formed between said upper partition and the top of said tank and provided with an air-supply, a comparatively great number of air-tubes of substantial lengths having very small internal diameters communicating with said air-compartment and supported at at least two points by and extending through said upper partition and said lower baffle partition to points close to the bottom of said tank to introduce the air at low points in the liquid-fuel in the tank and a nurrture-eduction pipe leading and` im'perforate in others 10 A `Y I' 1,605,398y aA froln said space above the levelof the liquid in the tank and below said upper partition to the induction manifold of the engine.

2. In a carburetor for an internal combustion engine, a closedliquid-fuel tank and a series of horizontal baiepartitions extending across the interior of the tank, said baiepartitions being perforated in certain areas and the perforated areas of adjacent partitions being arranged in staggered relation, one of said baffle-partitions being disposed nea-r thebottom of the tank lso as to be constantly sub-I merged by the liquidV therein, a horizontal partition arranged across said tank so as to provide an` 4air-cornpartinentv being formed 1n the upper part of said tank, -a comparatively great number of air-tubes extending` down through liquid-fuel in the tank, and amiXture-eduction pipe leading from the space above the liquid-fuel in tle tank to the induction ma-ni-- l 'fold ofthe engine.

In testimony whereof, I `have hereunto set 1n hand. a

y 'JOSEPH J. SULLIVAN. 

